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The Small Back Room (1949)
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Overview
User Rating:
Directors:
Writers:
Release Date:
23 February 1952 (USA)
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Plot:
As the Germans drop explosive booby-traps on 1943 England, the embittered expert who'll have to disarm them fights a private battle with alcohol. full summary | add synopsis
Plot Keywords:
Pain
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Bomb
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Bomb Disposal
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Booby Trap
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Suspense
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Awards:
Nominated for BAFTA Film Award.
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NewsDesk:
(2 articles)
Santa The Cineaste
(From New York Post. 13 December 2008, 10:51 PM, PST)
The Small Back Room
(From The AV Club. 26 August 2008, 9:02 PM, PDT)
(From New York Post. 13 December 2008, 10:51 PM, PST)
The Small Back Room
(From The AV Club. 26 August 2008, 9:02 PM, PDT)
User Reviews:
Brooding Tale of Redemption
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Cast
(Cast overview, first billed only)| David Farrar | ... | Sammy Rice | |
| Kathleen Byron | ... | Susan | |
| Jack Hawkins | ... | R.B. Waring | |
| Leslie Banks | ... | Col. A.K. Holland | |
| Michael Gough | ... | Capt. Dick Stuart | |
| Cyril Cusack | ... | Cpl. Taylor | |
| Milton Rosmer | ... | Prof. Mair | |
| Walter Fitzgerald | ... | Brine | |
| Emrys Jones | ... | Joe | |
| Michael Goodliffe | ... | Till | |
| Renée Asherson | ... | A.T.S. corporal | |
| Anthony Bushell | ... | Col. Strang | |
| Henry Caine | ... | Sgt. Maj. Rose | |
| Elwyn Brook-Jones | ... | Gladwin | |
| James Dale | ... | Brigadier |
Additional Details
Also Known As:
Hour of Glory (USA)
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Parents Guide:
Runtime:
106 min
Country:
Language:
Color:
Aspect Ratio:
1.37 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Mono (Western Electric Recording)
Filming Locations:
Company:
Fun Stuff
Trivia:
Cameo: [Robert Morley]A Guest.
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Goofs:
Boom mic visible: A little over 75 minutes into the film, during the scene where the character of Sammy Rice trashes his sitting room, the shadow of the boom mic can be seen reflected in the empty picture frame in the foreground of the shot.
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Quotes:
Susan:
Where were you going Sammy?
Sammy Rice: I don't know.
Susan: A woman?
Sammy Rice: Maybe.
Susan: How about me?
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Sammy Rice: I don't know.
Susan: A woman?
Sammy Rice: Maybe.
Susan: How about me?
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Movie Connections:
Referenced in Taxi Driver (1976)
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Soundtrack:
Night Club Music
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FAQ
This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.more (13 total)
Message Boards
Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for The Small Back Room (1949)| Recent Posts (updated daily) | User |
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| Rank The Powell You've Seen | brainofj72 |
| Anyone notice a resemblance? | goldenbells |
| Stonehenge | PatrickCurren |
| 'The Dying Gunner' | PatrickCurren |
Recommendations
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This film is an interesting return to the general subject matter of Powell and Pressburger's black and white war films (49th Parallel, One of our Aircraft, etc..), but, made four years after the end of the war, it is a moody piece that focuses on a man disabled by the war. It is typical of their work in that it features brilliantly well-rounded, truly adult characters without easy answers or one-dimensional poses; it is also a departure from their other films of the period in its lack of flamboyance and otherworldly flair. The gritty style - no music, for example, and wonderfully spare dialogue by Pressburger - is perfectly echoed by the intense performances of Kathleen Byron and David Farrar. As always, Powell's keen visual sense is paramount to the brilliance of the Archers' films, and the bomb-defusing scene on the beach makes great use of the setting in its compositions and editing. Although it is not the best introduction to the work of Powell and Pressburger, this film is a keen testament to the capacity of their storytelling abilities in weaving a tale of a man who finds redemption through work and love. Whether their films are explorations of the power of art or the effects of war, I consistently find their work profoundly moving. Let's hope that it is FINALLY released on video or, better still, DVD. (Attention, Scorcese!!!!)